UKC

How busy is the valley? I keep hearing the Lakes are rammed, obviously Duddon is a quieter valley, but it also takes less people to feel busy.

I'm assuming Turner Hall Farm is open. I'll give them a ring to check. Planning a few days midweek before the school break up.

I reckon midweek you'll be absolutely fine. Summer holidays might be a different story though.

I went at half term. It's not like the other bits of lakes. Still fairly quiet. Turner hall doing bookings only and limiting numbers. So less than a bad bank holiday when they used to open the fields. Busier than the old turn up job tho.  Enjoy.. it's my favourite part of the lakes.

We were in Eskdale for May half term and it was reasonably quiet despite the perfect weather

Agreed. Went to Borrowdale & Buttermere a couple of weeks ago and both were quiet. Easy parking everywhere, not many people about and lovely weather. 

I have been taking a friend out 2/3 times a week this year. It's his first proper outdoor season, so we have been visiting crags/routes that I thought would be popular. There was one day in Langdale where there were a few other parties climbing but otherwise we have been on our own with one other party. I was thinking of wallowbarrow next week and not expecting to see more than a couple of other parties. I might be wrong. FWIW I think the Lakes were really busy mid week last September and October due to people using up holidays that they hadn't used in the summer, so not sure how long this quiet spell will last. 

One useful outcome of this thread is learning that Turner Hall not only take bookings now, but have a website. I'm not sure if this is a good thing, as I liked just turning up and having lots of flexibility, but I guess it is needed at the moment. Thanks for the comments.

Just checked your logbook - tumbleweed, philistine, gethsemene etc. That's more like it, brilliant routes!

The Duddon doesn't exist any more. For a long time, it only existed in the imaginations of those who truly believed in it. This ardent sect claimed it was the most wonderful valley in the Lakes, quiet, peaceful, with no pay and display parking or Wainwright baggers. Moreover, it was full of untapped potential - vast quantities of unclimbed rock! Many sneered at them, but they would continue to adamantly hold onto their beliefs, even publishing arcane pamphlets suggesting processes of divination that could be used to commune with the valley. All was well.

Then someone went and published a guidebook not only claiming to prove the existence and location of the Duddon, but to even to have documented it in glossy photo topos! Suddenly - wumpf! - the Duddon disappeared in a cloud of rationality.

Sitting at home, drinking a cup of tea, Al Phizacklea winced. "What is it?" said Keith. Al looked up, through watering eyes: "I felt a great disturbance in the force, as if millions of microbuttresses cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced..."

(With profuse apologies to Doug and George...)

Been to wallowbarrow today. Four other parties, but they were spread out during the day. A dozen or so walkers and one mbr passed under the Crag. Driving back (about 5pm) Seathwaite village seemed quite quiet and I didn't meet another car until the top of Wrynose. 

Cheers Jon. I'm definitely finding my feet again. 😀

Excellent, I’ve booked three nights at Turner Hall during the week, next week. Weekends were fully booked, but plenty space during the week.